Union hockey settles for tie against Colgate

Liam Morgan of Union positions himself between Paul McAvoy, right, and goalie Colton Point during their game on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Messa Rink. (Dave Kibbe / Colgate Athletics)

Liam Morgan of Union positions himself between Paul McAvoy, right, and goalie Colton Point during their game on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Messa Rink. (Dave Kibbe / Colgate Athletics)

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Liam Morgan of Union positions himself between Paul McAvoy, right, and goalie Colton Point during their game on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Messa Rink. (Dave Kibbe / Colgate Athletics)

Liam Morgan of Union positions himself between Paul McAvoy, right, and goalie Colton Point during their game on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018, at Messa Rink. (Dave Kibbe / Colgate Athletics)

Union hockey settles for tie against Colgate

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Schenectady

With one game remaining in the regular season, Union College hockey coach Rick Bennett was disappointed to see another game in which his team had trouble maintaining its effort and compete levels as the Dutchmen prepare for the upcoming ECAC playoffs.

On a good note, the Dutchmen received another stellar performance in goal from junior Jake Kupsky, who finished with 24 saves, and a right-person-in-the-right-spot type of goal from senior Ryan Scarfo late in the second period to help forge a 1-1 overtime tie with Colgate on Friday night at Messa Rink.

Union (20-13-2, 15-5-1) clinched second-place in the league standings with the tie.

The Dutchmen had 19 shots on goal through two periods before inexplicably going cold in the Raiders' zone, getting just three shots in the third period and zero in the five-minute overtime.

Bennett noticed a troubling trend in practice this week and his team's effort, or lack thereof, showed in spurts Friday.

"We wanted to attack and we didn't," Bennett said. "We didn't have it tonight. We seem to know whoever is in the net is going to battle but on some of these Friday nights here, it's not coming from the rest of us. And it started in practice this week. We got a little comfy, feeling good about themselves, and when it came time for some battle drills, we didn't want any part of that."

Union came into the game with a five-game winning streak, all with Kupsky in net, and the junior continued his solid play.

"Colgate deserved a better fate tonight. If you are going to steal a game, obviously your goaltender has to be absolutely leading it and I thought that is what Jake did tonight," Bennett said. "He gave us a chance and we let him down."

Kupsky came up with his best sequence at the eight-minute mark of the second when he denied Josh McKechney from point-blank range and stuffed Mike Panowyk on a rebound attempt.

Union finally got on the board when captain Cole Maier won a puck battle deep in the Colgate zone before getting a shot off while falling to the ice.

The shot went wide but hit teammate Ryan Scarfo in the chest and banked into the net at the 18:16 mark of the second, withstanding a review by the officials.

"It was a pack-of-wolves goal like we preach and I was lucky enough to be standing there and it went off my jersey," Scarfo said. "It was a great job by him battling up front and getting the puck to the net."

Maier's play drew praise from Bennett, who wished he'd seen more plays like that from his team.

"It was a great individual effort by Cole, he wanted that puck," Bennett said. "He wanted to work. He basically threw that kid away, took the puck and put it on net, battled, Ryan Scarfo is at the net where he is supposed to be. Sometimes, they aren't that pretty, but they count."

Kupsky's bid for his first shutout of the season ended late in the third when Trevor Cosgrove scored from the point with 48.6 seconds as Colgate (13-14-6, 9-9-3) was pulling goalie Colton Point for an extra attacker.

"I needed to do a better job of fighting to see the puck," Kupsky said. "Unfortunately, I don't know if it hit someone or not, but I didn't see it and it went in."

Sean Martin, a local freelance writer, is a frequent contributor to the Times Union.